The return of a major Marvel villain is confirmed. Check out multiple endings to the new Hobbit trailer. James Cameron reveals a possible new direction for the Avatar films. Plus Doctor Who, Once Upon a Time, Revolution, and more!

Top image from Dredd.

The Avengers 2

Joss Whedon gives his most in-depth explanation yet as to why he decided to return as writer and director for the Avengers sequel:

There's a business aspect to it and I would be disingenuous not to say that, but the question for me is, Do I have another story to tell about these people? So we worked on the business side of it and I didn't think it was going to happen — I was like 'I'm never going to do this again.' But once they worked on the business aspect of it I thought that seems fair and cool, so, the question was, Do I have another thing to say? I was in London and I went to a pub and had some fish and chips and a pint and started writing in my notebook. I'm writing if I was going to do this what would I say and 40 minutes later I filled the notebook. So I text my agent and said to make the deal. I'm so in love with that universe and the characters and the way they were played and I have so much more I want to do with them. I know I can't match the success of the first one but I can try to make a better film and that's what I'm excited about, that's the new room of fear I'm entering now.

Now head onto our Guardians of the Galaxy item for an update on both that and The Avengers 2...

Guardians of the Galaxy

So then, the big news is that Jim Starlin, who created Thanos and holds some of the rights to his use, has reportedly revealed that he has signed off on a deal for Thanos to appear in both Guardians of the Galaxy and The Avengers 2. That's nothing we didn't more or less already know, but it's still good to hear confirmed. [Cosmic Book News]

Looper

Avatar 2 and 3

James Cameron says there will likely be an expanded role for Chinese actors in the Avatar sequels, explained with his usual mix of visionary forward thinking and baldly cynical calculation:

"Within five years, China could easily be as big a gross-revenue market for film as North America, and there are very specific economic incentives for having both Chinese content and Chinese co-production. We are already funded on Avatar 2 and 3, but if we qualify as a co-production, there might be some incentives in the percentage of revenue we can take out of China. We are running the numbers to see if that makes sense. For Avatar, we can certainly use Chinese actors as performance capture actors because any accent issues will hide within the Na'vi accent. So we can have Chinese Na'vi; [and in the live-action sequences] we can also have Chinese actors who speak English in the film. We are projecting a future in Avatar, and if you project that future out, it is logical that there would be a number of Chinese amongst the contingent on Pandora."

Dredd

Screenwriter Alex Garland explains his approach to the material and why star Karl Urban was so perfect:

Every detail was important; every single one. From his helmet to his suit to the way he walked to the look of Mega-City One to the way that we handled the Slo-Mo drug…everything mattered to us. It was all stuff that mattered to us as filmmakers and fans, and ultimately, it was all about how to best serve the character of Dredd. He's not going to be the guy who finds redemption in the end, and he's not going to be guy who gets the girl; he's just a tough bastard, and that purity of character is what has made the character of Dredd endure over the years... Karl really embodied that character, and because he'd been a lifelong fan, too, he understood Dredd in a very deep way, maybe even deeper than I did. But we were always in constant communication throughout production about the script, Dredd and what his performance should be. Karl had a lot of ideas, including cutting Dredd's dialogue, and I totally got it — it was more true to the character, so I embraced that. We were just so in sync about how to approach Dredd, and I don't think anyone but Karl could have worn the helmet.

And here's Urban himself discussing the relationship between Dredd and rookie Judge Anderson:

It feels weird to say this about a movie this gritty, but the heart of Dredd is the relationship between Dredd and Anderson. That relationship is so central to the arc of my character throughout this story. It's really about two people coming together who don't like each other, and even by the end it's not really about them liking each other either; it's about that bond they forge while going through all of this that makes Dredd see things a bit differently than he did at the beginning of the story.

By his rules Anderson fails Dredd's assessment, but in reality she really passes it because she survives the ordeal by using her abilities and he respects her for that. And I think in a way that Anderson respects him for walking the line he must walk as Judge - having to draw those lines and take emotions out of the job - so they end up with an unspoken respect and admiration between them despite their differences. I think their relationship is so interesting and would love to see where that could go.

Beautiful Creatures

Here's a poster and short description for the upcoming fantasy romance, which stars Jeremy Irons, Emma Thompson, Viola Davis, and Emmy Rossum:

Based on the first of a five-novel series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, Beautiful Creatures is set in the South and is about two star-crossed teenage lovers: Ethan (Alder Ehrenreich), a local boy, and a mysterious new girl, Lena (Alice Englert), who uncover dark secrets about their respective families, their history and their town.

Skyfall

28 Months Later

The logically titled next sequel to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, which original filmmaker Danny Boyle still occasionally talks about making, apparently isn't happening after all. That's according to the first movie's writer Alex Garland — whose Dredd is out this weekend — who says it just isn't going to happen:

I'm still so proud of 28 Days Later and how well it's been received over the years so I appreciate that. But in regards to another movie, no- there are no plans for a 28 Months Later or whatever they were calling it. This is a series I've always been heavily involved with between the original and the sequel so if there were plans for another movie, I would absolutely know about it.

Doctor Who

Here's a sneak peek at this Saturday's episode, "The Power of Three." [Blogtor Who]

And here are some promo photos for the following episode, Amy and Rory's big finale, "The Angels Take Manhattan." [Life, Doctor Who, and Combom]

Person of Interest

Here are some promo photos for the second season premiere, "The Contingency." A synopsis is below:

With Finch missing – kidnapped by his hacker nemesis, Root, in last season's finale cliffhanger – Reese enlists Detectives Carter and Fusco to get his friend back, on the second season premiere of PERSON OF INTEREST, Thursday, Sept. 27 (9:00 – 10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Meanwhile, The Machine never sleeps, disseminating a new number to Reese. Ken Leung ("Lost") guest stars as the latest POI, and Amy Acker ("Dollhouse," "Angel") reprises her role as Root.

Revolution

Mark Pellegrino is continuing his audacious bid to dethrone Mark Sheppard as genre TV's most omnipresent dude named Mark, following up his appearances on Lost, Supernatural, Chuck, Being Human, and most recently Grimm with a guest spot on NBC's post-electricity action drama. Specifically, Pellegrino will play a militia officer in the show's third episode, although I imagine there's slightly more to the role than that. Fellow Supernatural alums Todd Stashwick and Colin Ford will respectively play a drug lord in episode six and the brother of a boy kidnapped by the militia in episode seven. [TV Line]

Once Upon a Time

Here's a promo for the second season, which kicks off September 30.

And here's a sneak peek for the season premiere, "Broken."

Showrunners Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis participated in a lightning round of questions where they could only reply "Yes", "No", or "Can't Answer" — unless they felt like going into more detail on a "Yes" answer, I guess. Here are some highlights, and check out the article over at TV Guide for the rest:

Will we learn Charming's (Josh Dallas) real name in Season 2?
Adam Horowitz: Yes.

Will Emma's favor that she owes Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) come into play in Season 2?
Kitsis and Horowitz: Hell yes!

Since Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) is coming, is there a chance we'll see Peter Pan or Wendy?
Kitsis: There is a chance we'll see Peter Pan, Wendy and/or... [dramatic pause] Tinker Bell. I would say that a story like Tinker Bell's deserves its own origin story.

Will Emma get to be a badass with the sword again this season?
Kitsis and Horowitz: Yes.

666 Park Avenue

Here are some cast photos for ABC's paranormal apartment drama, which stars Lost's Terry O'Quinn as a New York City building owner who might be Satan for reasons that have relatively little to do with his rent prices and approach to upkeep. [Buddy TV]

Supernatural

Here's the description for episode two, "What's Up Tiger Mommy":

MRS. TRAN JOINS SAM AND DEAN ON THE ROAD - Kevin (guest star Osric Chau) talks Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) into checking in on his mother (guest star Lauren Tom). When they arrive, they see that Crowley (guest star Mark Sheppard) has surrounded her with demons so they rescue her and take her along on their quest to find the tablet. However, they soon discover Kevin wasn't kidding when he said his mother was a strong-willed woman after she tries to take on Crowley.

American Horror Story: Asylum

If you happen to be a Caucasian male between the ages of six and ten months — and I just naturally assume that that's like 80% of my readership — then American Horror Story wants you to help play the part of its latest guest stars, simply described as "TWIN BABIES." [SpoilerTV]

Alphas

Here are some promo photos for the eleventh episode, "If Memory Serves." [SpoilerTV]

The Vampire Diaries

Here's the official description for the fourth season premiere, "Growing Pains", which airs October 11:

ELENA'S WORST NIGHTMARE - Elena (Nina Dobrev) awakens on the morning after the accident to find the thing she dreaded most has come true – she died with vampire blood in her system and now must go through the terrible transition to become a vampire… or face certain death. Stefan (Paul Wesley) promises Elena that he and Bonnie (Kat Graham) will exhaust every possible way out of the situation, but Damon (Ian Somerhalder) is furious with his brother for letting Elena die in the first place. Bonnie pays a terrible price for her attempt to change Elena's fate, while Damon takes out his frustration and rage on Matt (Zach Roerig). In a rare moment of empathy, Rebekah (guest star Claire Holt) is deeply touched by Stefan and Elena's devotion to one another. Finally, Pastor Young (guest star Michael Reilly Burke) and the Town Council members begin rounding up the vampires and their supporters, leading to an unexpected tragedy.

Arrow

Here's the description for the series premiere of The CW's Green Arrow show, which kicks off October 10:

FROM DC COMICS ENTERTAINMENT AND UBER PRODUCERS GREG BERLANTI, MARC GUGGENHEIM AND ANDREW KREISBERG COMES A STORY OF A MAN TRYING NOT ONLY TO SAVE HIS CITY, BUT TO SAVE HIMSELF - After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell, "Hung," "Private Practice") was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. Back in Starling City, Oliver slowly reconnects with those closest to him, his devoted mother Moira (Susanna Thompson, "Cold Case," "Kings"), beloved sister Thea (Willa Holland, "Gossip Girl," "The O.C."), and best friend Tommy Merlyn (Colin Donnell, "Pan Am"), but struggles with his ex-girlfriend Dinah "Laurel" Lance (Katie Cassidy, "Gossip Girl," "Melrose Place"), who blames him for her sister's death. Oliver has brought back many new skills from his time on the island and despite the watchful eye of his new bodyguard John Diggle (David Ramsey, "Dexter," "Blue Bloods"), Oliver manages to secretly create the persona of Arrow – a vigilante – to right the wrongs of his family and fight the ills of society. As Arrow, Oliver will atone for the past sins of his family while he searches for the personal redemption he needs.

Beauty and the Beast

Here's a synopsis for the CW's other new genre show, which features Smallville star Kristin Kreuk's big return to the network, as well as a reasonably handsome man we're supposed to consider beastly for some reason:

A RE-IMAGINING OF THE CLASSIC TALE - When she was a teenager, Catherine "Cat" Chandler (Kristin Kreuk, "Smallville") witnessed the murder of her mother. Cat would have been killed too, but someone – or something – saved her. Now, years have passed and Cat is a police officer, investigating a case that leads her to the person who saved her: a doctor named Vincent Keller (Jay Ryan, "Terra Nova"). With the help of his childhood friend J.T. Forbes (Austin Basis, "Life Unexpected"), Vincent has been in hiding, guarding his secret - when enraged, he becomes a terrifying beast, unable to control his super strength. Still, Cat is touched by the person that lives within the Beast and she knows she has to keep her relationship with Vincent a secret from her boss, Joe Bishop (Brian White, "The Shield"), her partner, Tess Vargas (Nina Lisandrello, "Nurse Jackie"), and even from her close friend, Evan Marks (Max Brown, "The Tudors"), the medical examiner. Cat and Vincent are powerfully drawn to one another, but they understand that their connection is extremely dangerous for both of them.